Squeezer extractor washing machine



Jan. 19, 1954 c. F. ABRESCH 2,666,315

SQUEEZER EXTRACTOR WASHING MACHINE Filed March 24, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet l R. m V m Can e! J? A Zflesch 1954 c. F. ABRESCH SQUEEZER EXTRACTOR WASHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1948 u Bun-EBB...- VT a INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY 1954 c. F. ABRESCH SQUEEZER EXTRACTOR WASHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 24, 1948 INVENTOR. Card 17 Ab/"e-Sc/z/ ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 19, 1954 SQUEEZER EXTRACTOR WASHING MACHINE Care! F. Abresch, Stamford, Conn., assignor to General Motors Corporation Application March 24, 1948, Serial No. 16,790

matic type, that is, the type in which the. soiled clothes and suitable soap may be deposited and the machine started, whereupon it will automatically operate to wash, rinse and wring the clothes, the said machine being of extremely simple and economical construction to the end that it may be produced and retailed at a fraction of the cost of present machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved simplified and inexpensive automatic washing machine as above, and an improved method which is extremelyefficient and effective in the washing, rinsing and wringing of the clothes, all with the use of a minimum quantity of soap.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic washing machine as characterized above, which is particularly free from vibration, sufiiciently so that it need not be bolted or otherwise secured to the floor or other supporting surface where it is installed.

Yet another object of the invention is to pro.- vide a washing machine having the above charac teristics, which is extremely compact and small in size so that it requires but a minimum of space. A still further object of the inventionis toprovide an improved efiicient and effective washing machine characterized as above, and an improved method which is extremely gentle in its action on the clothes, effecting a thorough washing, rinsing and wringing of the clothes-with a minimum of wear, damage or deterioration.

Still another object of the invention is -to provide an improved washing machine having the above characteristics and advantages," and which is extremely easy and convenientto useand op.-

erate. I

A further object of the invention is toprovide an improved automatic washing machine characterized as above, which is subject to but little wear, and is therefore reliable in operation over an extended period of use, and is very simple to service and/ or repair if such should benecessary.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an automatic Washing machine as above outlined, in which staining or other damage to the clothes resulting from contact with concentrated soaps or cleansing substances is prevented.

Machines representing two embodiments of the present invention are illustrated .and'described Claims. (CI. 68-12) 2 herein, by which the above objects are accomplished. In both of these machines a clothes tank is provided, having a large and a small compartment, and having at the top a large opening through which clothes may beplaced in the tank, in the large compartment thereof. In the small compartment an agitator shielded from the clothes is provided, to circulate the washing solution, and by this arrangement the clothes are subjected to a very gentle agitation which is not destructive to the threads or fibres, or buttons. One machine has its agitator compartment at the side of the clothes tank, and has a container for holding a quantity of soap powder sufficient for approximately twenty washings, each of ten pounds dry weight of clothes. This container is connected by means of a gravity-feed chute with the small compartment having the agitator, and an automatically-controlled solenoid-actuated valve, disposed in the chute, provides for a predetermined quantity or charge of soap powder to be automatically deposited in the compartment for each washing cycle. Thus, the concentrated soap is prevented from coming in direct contact with the clothing, but instead is first dissolved thoroughly in the wash water by the agitator and therefore discoloration or other damage to fabrics from strong soap concentrations is avoided. The correct amount of soap is automatically provided for each washing operation, resulting in an economy in the use of the soap, and providing insurance against a washing solution which has too great a concentration of cleansing agents.

The agitator of this machine is on a horizontal shaft driven from a reversible electric motor which also drives a second shaft having a reversi- -ble fluid pump connected with a drain opening at the bottom of the tank. The pump, which either supplies air to or removes it from the lower portion of the tank, connects with a conduit leadi'ng "to a fluid outlet at the top of the tank, and a checkvalve is provided in the conduit to prevent influx at'the outlet whereby a vacuum may be ,had in'the tank." A drain pipe and a vent pipe are connected to the conduit between the check valve and the pump, and check valves are provided in the drain pipe and vent pipe to prevent influx through the drain pipe and efiiux through the vent pipe respectively.

The clothes tank of the machine has a cover for the clothes-admitting opening, carrying a rubber bag which has foldable Walls and normally occupies a folded position directly under the cover. 6 The bag may be expanded to extend into the clothes tank and engage and press against in the clothes tank, and the machine put into operation by starting a timing mechanism which automatically shuts off after a predetermined .interval. This timing mechanism operates electrical control means whereby a predetermined.

quantity of mixed hot and cold water is deposited in the tank, and while this isv occurring a predetermined quantity of soap is depositedin the. agitator compartment of the tank. The-motor driving the agitator and pump is then automatically started, causing the agitator to mix the soap with the water, and to continuallyclr culate the Water in the tank and agitate the clothes. At the same time, the pump forces air into the bottom of the tank and removes air from the top of the tank, thereby resulting in a continual aeration and further agitation of the washing solution. After an interval, the timing mechanism automatically reverses the motor, whereupon the pump evacuates the water and part of the air from the tank. This causes the rubber bag carried by the cover of the tank to expand, and to press against the clothes with a substantial force, and results in an effective yet gentle wringing of the clothes to remove most of the water therefrom. This wringing action does not rupture or destroy the threads or fibres, and tends to minimize wear and tear on the clothes. Also, the wringing action is not accomplished by any large members rotating at high speeds, such as are found in spin dryers, and as a result there is a marked absence of vibration in the machine. The clothes having been wrung out, the motor is again reversed automatically and rinsing water is introduced into the tank in a predetermined quantity. During this operation the rinsing water is agitated and circulated by the agitator being driven by the motor, and also the rinsing water is aerated by the pump, resulting in an effective rinsing operation. The electric motor is again automatically reversed, whereupon the rinsing solution is evacuated from the tank, together with air, and as a consequence the rubber bag carried by the cover is again expanded, forcing all excess liquid from the clothing. The motor is again reversed, and a second quantity of rinsing water introduced into the tank, circulated by the agitator and aerated by the pump, and the motor is again automatically reversed, whereby the second rinsing water is evacuated, together with air, and the rubber bag again expanded to press against the clothes and remove theliquid therefrom. Then the motor is finally reversed, causing the pump to force air into the bottom of the clothes tank, resulting in a .flufilng of the clothes and a further aerating and partial drying there- All of these operations are accomplished by automatically reversing the motor driving the agitator and the pump, and also automatically actuating the control for the hot and cold water mixing valve, all by the timing mechanism. The machine is characterized by an absence of clutches, reverse gears or other reverse driving" 4 mechanisms, etc. The agitator and pump have well balanced rotating parts of small mass and relatively small size, and therefore the machine is practically free from vibration which would require its being bolted down or otherwise secured to an anchorage.

The simplicity of the driving mechanism and absence .of large members rotating at high speed, and the relatively few parts required, together With the extremely effective yet gentle Washing and rinsing means and simplicity thereof, result in acompact machine of small overall size, which can be produced at extremely low cost, and yet which provides improved washing and cleansing action on the clothes with a minimum of wear and tear.

Theother machine illustrative of the invention has a centrally located agitator compartment formed by a cage secured to the bottom of the clothes tank. A novel impeller is provided in the cage, in the forrnof a member having projecting ribs, the member beingrotatably mounted on the crank of a shaft passing through the bottom .of the tank, the same shaft connecting directly with the pump by which the tank is evacuated. By this one-shaft construction a simple and compact unitary assemblage is made possible, com prising a casing carrying the bearings for the shaft and the pump, andthe agitator, and a single belt drive is employed from the shaft to the motor. In this machine the rubber bag which expands to press against and wring the clothes has a simplified shape, and comprises a cylindrical portion and an end portion in the form of a truncated cone having a largecentral opening. The rubber bag is secured to the interior of the tank in its upper portion, the tank having a top wall overlying the conical portion of the bag, and a clothesadmitting opening aligning with the opening in the bag. The clothes tank has a cover which carries the watersupply line and discharge nozzle for introducing'fresh water into the tank at the top thereof, and carries a check valve venting to the atmosphere. The pump is connected with a drain conduit communicating with a drain'pipe through a second check valve. This machine has the advantages of the first machine, and employs still fewer and simpler parts in a more compact assemblage, enabling the cost of the machine to be still further reduced.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a vertical front-to-rear sectional view of one improved washing machine representing an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the washing machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view-of the machine of Figs. 1 and '2, partly in side elevation and partly in section, the section being taken on. line 3-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the various movements of the fluids in the machine'of Figs. 1 through 3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the machine in the preceding figures.

Fig. 6 is a time .chart illustrating the various operations-occurring in a single cycle of the machine shown in the preceding figures, and

Fig. '7 is a'vertical front-to rear sectional view of another improved washing machine, illustrating a modification of the invention.

The improved washing machine of. thepres- 'ent "invention shown in Figs. l'through 6 connprises an outer casing or cabinet Ii) which is preferably of rectangular cross section, having aEbase portion II of smaller area,provided with adjustable feet I2. In the cabinet ID a clothes tank I3 is carried, said tank preferably also having a generally rectangular cross section; the walls of the cabinet 5 9 may form part of the tank l3 as shown, to provide for lightness of weight and economy in the use of material. The clothes tank l3 has a bottom wall 14 sloping downward toward a drain opening [5 which is connected by a hose [6 to a reversible fluid pump 51 driven by an electric motor I 8. Above the bottom !4 of the tank a perforated platform 19 is provided, in spaced relation with the bottom It, and a perforated partition 20 is provided in the tank to divide the latter into a main, clothes-carrying compartment 2! and a second and smaller compartment 22 which I term an agitator compartment. The clothes tan: I3 is provided with a fiat, utility table-top cover 23 which is hingedly connected at 24 to the cabinet 10, and the latter has an upstanding housing 25 extending along its rear edge portion, in which housing are disposed a timing mechanism 25, powdered soap container 2? and a water temperature control 28.

, The control 23 is connected to a mixing valve 29,

in turn connected to hot and cold water pipes and 3|, and from th mixing valve 29, Fig. 3, a nozzle 32 extends, projecting into the upper portion of the tank [3 to supply water thereto.

The mixing valve shut-off is controlled by an electric solenoid in the usual manner, the solenoid being in turn controlled by the timing mechanism 25 and by a float switch 33 of the mum of wear and tear on the clothes, with a minimum of moving parts and therefore mechanical wear, and a minimum of vibration in the machine, and with a minimum of cost in producing the machine.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, the novel organization or structure comprises an agitator in the form of a propeller 3 2 carried in the agitator compartment 22 by a shaft 35, which latter passes through the external rear wall of the compartment and through a suitable packing and bearing means, and at its otherend mounts a drive pulley 36, the pulley 3 5 being driven by a belt 31 from a pulley 38 on the shaft of the mo-- tor l8.

The pump I1, according to-the invention, is of a suitable reversible fluid type capable of producing a'vacuum, and is connected by a conduit or hose 39 with a fluid outlet 4% in the upper por- 'tion of the clothes tank 13, the said outlet being substantially above the water line of the. tank.

A'checkvalve M is interposed in the hose Bil to prevent influx of fluid at the outlet ill, and drain and vent pipes 42 and 43 respectively are connected to the hose 39 between the check valve 4| and the pump ii. The drain'pipe 42 has check valve at to prevent influx of fluid in said pipe, and the vent pipe %3 has a check valve 45 to prevent efliux of fluid through said pipe.

The novel organization above referred to also =com'prises a normally foldedgrectangular mold 6O chine of the invention and method'of washing ed rubber bag 46 carried on the inside of the cover 23, the bag having a generally flat bottom membrane or wall 4? connected with folded side walls 58, which latter have portions in the shape of truncated pyramids. Above the bag'46 the cover 23 is provided with slits 49 which function as vent openings, enabling the interior of the bag to have access to the atmosphere. Also, a rubber sealing member or strip 50 is provided on the mouth of the tank Is, to provide an airtight seal between the latter and the cover 23. By this organization, when a vacuum is created in the tank l3, as by the pump [1, the bag 45 will expand against the clothes in the tank and wring the latter, as will be more fully brought out later,

As shown in Fig.1 the powdered soap container 2! is connected with a chute 5| which empties into the top of the agitator compartment 22, and a solenoid operated valve 52 is providedat the bottom of the container 21 to control the discharge of soap powder therefrom. A hinged lid 52 is provided on the container, to enable the latter to be conveniently filled with soap powder when necessary, and preferably the capacity of the container 2? is sufficient to hold enough soap for at least twenty washing operations.

The circuit diagram of the improved washing machine of Figs. 1 through 4 is shown in Fig. 5. The timing mechanism 25 of the machine includes an electric timing motor 54 driving a shaft 55 having earns 56, El, 58, 59, (iii and 5!. The cam 56 controls a switch 62 which in turn controls the energization of the timing motor 54 whereby, once the latter has been initially energized, it will operate for thirty minutes and will then be automatically turned off or deenergized. The cam 5! controls a switch 63 connected with a solenoid 64 which operates the shut-01f for the mixing valve 29, and the cam 53 controls a switch 65 for energizing and deenergizing a solenoid 66 which in turn controls the valve 52 of the soap dispenser. The cam 59 controls the main switch 61 of the motor 18, the latter being preferably of the single-phase induction type having a main winding 68 and a starting winding 69. The winding 69 is controlled by the usual centrifugal switch it Within the motor, and by reversing switches TI and 12, respectively actuated by the cams cc and 6!. The cams 59, 6!) and (ii are so arranged that the switch 51 is always opened before the switches H and 12 are actuated, and is always closed after completion of the actuation of the switches H and 12. A circuit breaker 62a is connected in one-of the main supply lines as shown, the breaker being automatically actuated by raising and lowering of the cover 23 whereby the machine is halted whenever the cover is raised and resumes its operations again when the cover is lowered.

The operation of the improved washing maaccording to the invention, is as follows, reference being had to Fig. 6 which shows the related functions. The operator first lifts the cover 23 of the machine, the cover carrying with it the folded or collapsed rubber bag 48, and deposits in the tank is the soiled clothes to be washed. The cover 23 is then closed, the water temperature control 28 set for the desired temperature and the timing mechanism 25 started, to energize the motor 55, as by turning a knob l3 connected with said mechanism.

Timing mechanisms of this type are wellknown in the art of automatic washing machines, and therefore the specific details willnot be shown or described herein since they form no part of the present invention.

Upon the motor 54 being energized; referring to Fig. 5, the cam 51 will close the switch 3 to open the shut-off for the mixing valve 29, and hot and cold water will be forced through the inlet nozzle 32 into the tank It. When the water has reached a predetermined level, the float switch 33 will become operative and will shut ofithe water supply. During the supplying of water to the tank l3 the soap dispenser valve 52 will be opened by the solenoid 66, which is energizedby the switch 65 being actuated from the cam 58, and a charge of soap will be deposited in the agitating compartment 22. it will be noted that this charge of soap powder will not bedeposited on the clothes carried in the compartment 2|, and therefore any likelihood of the clothes being stained or injured by the concentrated soap is prevented.

After the required quantity of water has been introduced into the tank l3, the motor 18 is started in a forward direction, by closing of the switch! actuated by the cam 59. The motor will drive the impeller 34 and also the pump l'i. The impeller 34, as shown in Fig. i, will immediately agitate the water in the compartment 22 and mix the charge of soap with the water, and will establish a forced circulation of water between the compartments 2| and 22 or" the tank l3, and in so doing will agitate the washing solution and the clothes carried in the compartment 2|. At the same time, the pump l'i will force air through therhose I6 into the bottom of the tank [3, the said air being fed to the pump through the conduit 39 and passing through the check valve 4! from the top of the clothes tank l3. Also, air may be fed to the pump I! from the atmospheric vent 43-, such air passing through the check valve 45. Any of the washing solution in the tank l3 which might inadvertently be discharged through the outlet 48. will be returned to the tank with the air being circulated by the pump Il. washing solution in the tank I3 is therefore accomplished by the pump l1, resulting in a further agitation of the clothes of the washing solution, and providing the benefit of the presence of oxygen in the washing solution to further cleanse and purify the clothes.

As shown in Fig. 6, after an elapse of approximately. eleven minutes from the start of the machine, the washing operation will be halted by the switch 61 deenergizing the motor it. The motor will now be connected for reverse by actuation of the switches II and Z2, and the switch "81 will then again be closed to operate the motor l8 in the reverse direction. This will reverse the rotation of the agitator 34 and the pump H, and the latter will evacuate the water and part of the air from the clothes tank 13, such water and air .being forced out through the drain pipe '42 and check valve 44. The check valves 4! and 45 prevent the water and air being evacuated by the pump H, from passing either to the atmosphere or back into the clothes tank 13. Also, the pump I! will create a partial vacuum in the tank, and this will cause the flexible rubber bag 46 to expand to a position somewhat as indicated at ii3 in Fig. 1. This position is determined by the contour or configuration of the to of the pile of clothes in the tank |3, the bag as expanding until halted by the clothes.

'As-the vacuum. in the tank |3 ..continues, th e ,bag-lfi will press against the clothes with con- An effecive aeration of the siderable force and will squeeze most of the water from the clothes, the said water being completely evacuated from the tank l3 through the drain pipe 42. After an interval of approximately three minutes during which the tank 13 i emptied and the clothes are wrung, and shortly after the fourteenth minute of operation of the machine, the motor switch 6-1 will be opened and the motor deenergized, the rubber bag 45 will again fold under the cover 23, and the inlet mixing valve shut-off will be automatically actuated to fill the tank l3 with a supply of rinsing water.

Upon the motor being deenergized, the switches 'H and 12 will again be actuated to connect the motor for forward operation, and then the switch 61 will again be closed to cause the motor to drive the impeller 34 and the pump IT. This will cause the rinsing water to be agitated and circulated between the compartments 2| and 22, and will agitate the clothes in the compartment 2|, and the pump I will force air into the compartment 2! to further agitate the rinsing water and clothes, and to aerate the rinsing water. This rinsing operation will continue for approximately four minutes, whereupon the motor l8 will again be automatically reversed to carry out a second wringing and drain operation.

A second rinsing operation is then gone through terminating approximately at the twenty-sixth minute of operation, whereupon a third wring and drain operation is instituted. This third wring and drain operation has a duration of approximately three minutes, whereupon the motor i8 is again reversed, but this time no rinsing Water is introduced into the tank Hi. Instead, the pump I1 is driven to force air under pressure into the bottom of th tank l3, thereby to fluff the clothes. in the tank and to further remove moisture therefrom, The washing, rinsing and draining operations are completed in thirty minutes, whereupon the switch 62 is automatically opened to deenergize the timing motor 54, and the clothes are ready to be removed from the machine.

I have found that, by the provision of the ex pandable bag 46 in conjunction with the reversible pump ll, reversible motor |8, and impeller agitator 34 in the compartment separate from the main compartment of the clothes tank, and with the provision of means for depositing soap powder in the agitator compartment and not on the clothes, an extremely eificient and effective washing, rinsing and draining of the clothes is accomplished by a gentle and yet thorough action which results in a minimum of wear and tear on the clothes. These operations are accomplished by the use of very few parts, which parts are of simple and economical construction, and

without the use of costly clutches, reversing gears or reversing drive mechanisms, etc.

The various operations carried out in the Washing cycle are accomplished by actuation of switches controlled by the timing mechanism, the main operations being accomplished by a reversing of the motor l8 and the operations of dispensing soap and adding water to the tank being accomplished by actuation of the solenoids 64 and 66. Therefore the apparatus or machine of my invention is free from any considerable mechanical wear, being extremely reliable in operation over an extended period of use, and is very economical to produce. The parts are small and compactly arranged so that the overall size of the machine is small compared with other automatic machines, and the present machine is remarkably 'free from vibration and therefore need not be bolted down to a floor or other supporting surface.

To effect a thorough washing of the clothes I have found that, with a suitablypitched propeller or agitator, the speed of the agitator may be relatively slow and in the neighborhood of from 400 to 450 R. P. M. 1

Th mechanism by which the clothes are wrung is extremely simple and effective, and a very large amount of water is removed from the clothes during thewringing thereof, as compared with the amount remaining in the clothes.

The operation of the machine is simple, and

the machine is very convenient to us since the dispensing of soap is automatic, and since the operations of filling the clothes tank l3 with clothes and filling the soap container 2'! with soap powder may be easily done by an inexperienced person. The automatic dispensing of the soap results in an economy in the use of the soap, and prevents the likelihood of injurious soap concentrations occurring. .7 It will be noted that the creation of the vacuum in the tank it tends to hold the cover 23'securely down in place and tends to increase the seal of the cover against the sealing strip 50, thereby preventing leakage of atmospheric air into the tank which might reduce the force exerted by the bag 46 on the clothes.

An improved washing machine illustrating another embodiment of the invention is shownin Fig.7. This machine comprises a cabinet 80 which is preferably of rectangular cross section,

having mounted within it a clothes tank SI of generally cylindrical shape. The tank 8! has a bottom wall 32 sloping downwardly to a drain pip 83, which latter is connected with a hose 84 in turn leading to a reversible pump 85 driven from a shaft 8 5. The shaft 86 has a pulley 87 which i driven, by a belt '88, from a reversible electric motor 89. The shaft 86 is carried in bearings 99, and 9 l, provided with suitable packings, and is mounted in a housing or casing 92 which also houses the pump 65. The shaft 86 extends through the bottom wall of the tank BI and has an ofiset' portion or crank S3Von which is rotatably mounted an agitator member 94 having a plurality of tapered projecting ribs 95, preferably six in number. A cage 98 is mounted on the bottom wall 82 of the tank to enclose the agitator 94, the cage being in the form of a truncated. cone having a removable cap 91 at its top to enable soap powder to be deposited in the cage prior to starting a washing cycle. The tank 8| has a perforated platform 98 spaced above the bottom 82 and surrounding the bottom or base of the cage 96.

During the running of the motor 89 the crank 93 of the shaft 86- will travel in a circular path, and the agitator 94 will be free to rotate on the crank pin 93, and the axis of the agitator will follow the circular path of said crank pin. By this organization a gentle and yet thorough agitation of the soap solution and the clothes is accomplished, and such agitation is facilitated by the induction of air into the tank by the pump 85.

At its top the tank 8| has a top wall 99 which is generally in the form of a truncated cone, having a large central opening I to admit clothes into the tank 8|. A hollow cover [0| is provided for the tank, having a conical portion l 02 closely fitting the upper wall 99 of the tank, th cover being hinged at I93 to the cabinet 80. The wall brought from a mixing valve its? in the cabinet,

into the cover it! .to a discharge nozzle 39 which is secured in the portion it! of the cover. The tanks! is provided with an expandable rubber bag or membrane H5 having a cylindrical wall portion ill secured at itslower end to the side walls of the tank BI, and having an upperwall portion H2 of frustro-conical shape, the inner rim of which is secured to the top wall 99 of the tank. The bag H0 is expandable so that the wall portions thereof may assume various positions, such as the position shown by the dot and-dash line ii 3, such positions being determined by the configuration of the clothes carried in the tank 8i. r

The pump 35 is connected with a hose N4 the end of which has a check valve I it, and between the valve H5 and'the pump 85 a drain pipe I I6 is connected to the hose, having a check valve ll'l.

The operation of the washing machine shown in Fig. 7 is generally similar to that of the machine shown in the preceding figures, except that when the pump 85 forces air into the lower portion of the tank St the air will be sucked directly from the atmosphere through the check valve H5, and air which is discharged from the upper portion of the tank 8! will pass out of the check valve I85 and into the atmosphere through the openings l6 into the cover Ifil.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 7 rinsing water may be introduced into the top of the tank 8i through the nozzle its for a short time at the beginning of the wringing and drain operations, whereby the rinsing water will act to remove all suds and soap from the upper portion of the tank, and from the upper portion of the clothes, thereby to facilitate the rinsing of the clothes.

The shape of the flexible rubber bag H9] is such that it may be readily molded, in simple mold forms.

It will be noted that all of the operations of washing, wringing, rinsing, etc. are carried out by the use of a single belt drive from the motor 89, and that these operations are carried out by the use of a single shaft 86 which drives the pump .85 and also the agitator Q4. The shaft 86, pump 85, casing s2 and bearings 90 and SI constitute a simple and compact unit which may be fabricated at low cost, and which may be easily serviced and replaced if necessary, and by the provision of such a unit the structure of the washing machine is considerably simplified and the overall cost considerably reduced.

While two speciiic machine structures are shown and described herein as embodying the invention, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to these specific structures, the scope being more properly taken in connection with the appended claims, and variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. A washing machine comprising a clothes tank having a drain opening at its bottom, and having an air outlet; a movable wall connected with said tank and displaceable inwardly thereof towards clothes in the tank, the exterior of the wall having access to the atmosphere and said wall and tank cooperating to form a sealed chamber which the clothes and a washin solution may occupy, said drain opening communicating with said chamber; means for agitating said washing solution and the clothes in the tank; means including a reversible pump connected with the drain opening for forcing air under .pressure into the solution to aerate the same, said air passing out of said air outlet; and means for reversing the pump to evacuate said solution and part of the air from the chamber, thereby causing said movable wall to shift inwardly against the clothes and squeeze the latter to force liquid therefrom.

2. A washing machine comprising a clothes tank having a clothes-admitting opening, and having a drain opening at its bottom; means for maintaining clothes in the tank spaced from and above the drain opening, said clothes separating the drain opening from the clothes-admitting opening; an evacuating pump connected to the drain opening, and to the atmosphere; means for agitating a Washing solution carried in said tank; a reversible power means, connected to drive said agitating means and said pump, operation of the power means in one direction causing said agitating means to agitate the washing so- .lu'tion'ior washing the clothes in the tank, and

causing the pump to force air under pressure into the washing'solution to agitate and aerate the same and to maintain the washing solution in the tank; and automatic means for reversing the direction of operation of said power means after a predetermined interval of time, thereby to cause the pump to evacuate the liquid contents of the tank and to remove liquid from the clothes.

3. A Washing machine comprising a clothes tank having a clothes-admitting opening, having a drain opening at its bottom, and having a fluid outlet spaced a substantial distance above the bottom} means providing a substantially airtight closure for the opening of the tank; clothessupportmg means -spaced a short distance above the "bottom of the tank, having openings therethrough; a reversible fluid pump; reversible power means for driving said pump'; a conduit connecting said drain opening and fluid outlet, said pump being interposed'in said conduit to force. fluid therethr'ough; a check valve providmg for fluid flow through said outlet only, ina direction out of the tank a vent pipea'nd a drain pipe, each connected to said conduit between said heck valve and pump; a check'va'lve, in, the drain pipe, preventing influx through said pipeifand a check" valve in the ventpipe, preventing smu through said pipe, operation of the pump one direction forcing 'iiuid from the conduit "upward through the'tank, out of the fluid outlet and back to the conduit, and operation oi the pump in the other direction causing liquid in the tank to be evacuated through the conduit and said vent pipe.

4. In the washing and drying of clothes, the method which comprises immersing the clothes in a washing solution disposed in a compartment, continuously withdrawing portions of said solution from the compartment and continually returning said portions and simultaneously forcing air under pressure into the solution to circulate the solution and forcefully agitate the clothes, evacuating said solution and part of the air from the compartment to remove the solution from the clothes and simultaneously compressing the clothes to wring the same.

5. A washing machine including a clothes tank having a drain opening at the bottom, a flexible diaphragm within the upper portion of the tank sealed to the tank exposed on one side to the clothes compartment and exposed on the other side to the environment air, said tank having an outlet located above the normal liquid level in the tank, said outlet being provided with an outward- 1y opening check valve, a drain connection connected to said check valve, said drain connection being provided with an outwardly opening check valve, an inlet for environment air connected to the. outlet and drain connectionsbetween said two check valves, an inwardly opening check valve for said inlet, and a reversible pump having one side connected to said drainland the opposite side connected to the outlet and the inlet andthe drain connections between said check valves.

CAREL F. ABRESCH'.

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Number Country Date 197,825 Germany Dec, 11, 1899 319,352 Great Britain July 10, 1930 649,837 Germany f Sept. 6', 1937 796,891 France Feb. 3,1936 

